Placer County’s Hidden Falls Regional Park in North Auburn is a gem of a park. Unfortunately, parking can be hard to find, especially during weekends, holidays and times of mild weather, which is often.

To help avoid would-be park visitors from being turned away, the Placer County Board of Supervisors today approved a new parking fee during times of peak visitation.

Beginning in September, Hidden Falls visitors will be able to reserve a parking spot and pay the fee, when it’s required, using a new online reservation system. Reservations for all other county park facilities will also be managed through the system.

Hidden Falls parking fees will be $8 per vehicle per day for peak times (8:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.), when visitors to the park are often unable to find parking and are forced to change plans and leave; the fee will be $4 for partial days, outside peak hours. No fee will be required during off-peak times when the parking lot does not normally fill up.

“It is our hope that the new reservation system will help increase the number of visitors enjoying the park and avoid the frustration of being turned away,” said Placer County Parks and Recreation Director Andy Fisher.

The proposed fee is comparable to the current $10 per day fee for use of the nearby Auburn State Recreation Area that is managed by California Department of Parks and Recreation.

The board’s approval also authorizes the county to enforce parking violation fines of $25 for first time infractions and $100 for repeat offenders.

The fees and fines, in combination with the parking restrictions implemented in the areas bordering the park, are also intended to reduce traffic impacts to surrounding neighborhoods.

County staff will return to the board at a later date to reevaluate the parking fee program and further explore the possibility of discounts for members of our military community.